Review Responses:

On AO3, I got asked about what happened to Kotomine's Command Spells. Since that led to me giving some information about events that I did not depict in this story, here is the answer I gave about some additional events revolving around the Command Spells and Jester's actions in Fuyuki before the events of Chapter 3:

Rin and Shiro did not extract Command Spells from Kirei. In my storyline's continuity, the Church confiscated Kirei's body following the end of the Fifth War. The spells were then transferred (with help from Merem Solomon) to Caren Hortensia, the intended overseer for a theoretical Sixth Holy Grail War. However, before his attack on the Matou Estate, Jester had a battle with Caren at Fuyuki Church. Thanks to the Kaleidosticks' power, he was able to easily overwhelm her, and intended to steal the Command Spells from her. However, he made a mistake and accidentally destroyed Caren's Command Spells with the Kaleidosticks. Realizing he needed to modify his plan, Jester unsuccessfully tried to get Zouken to provide him with Command Spells, as seen in Chapter 3. This also prevented Hansa from getting Command Spells, as there was nothing left to transfer to him. Due to Jester's hasty departure to the Matou's, Caren managed to narrowly survive the battle and is currently recovering from her injuries.

As I mentioned above, this is just some side lore and not events I will be covering in the story proper. However, I figured it was worth ensuring my audience here had an equal opportunity to learn about this! Now on to the rest of the reviews!

Guest- The ensemble cast nature of this story does mean that Izuku and Shiro aren't going to be in the limelight as much as they were in My Hero and Fate respectively. However, I can promise Shiro will be getting some spotlight very soon, and while Izuku will take a little longer, he'll be getting a lot to do once we get to the Sports Festival!

Thank you to everyone who Favorited, Followed, or Reviewed. Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any Fate works, and they are the properties of their respective creators.

Unforeseen Heroics II: Rampage Playground

Western Skies, Greece
A Long, Long Time Ago…

As he watched the demigod behind him gaze out from his Sun Chariot, Helios chuckled, "Incredible sight, no?"

Staring down at the world far below, Heracles nodded, "Yes… I understand now why the Olympians made their home on the tallest mountain in the land."

The radiant titan scoffed, "Pah, they can't see anything through your father's cloud barrier. The view from up here is far more impressive."

During his search for the elusive island of Erytheia, the son of Zeus had been stranded in the deserts of Libya. Driven to misery by the Sun's heat, Heracles had dared to fire an arrow at Helios himself.

The demigod, realizing what he had done, had apologized profusely the moment Helios had descended upon him. But to his surprise, the immortal had been impressed by his mettle and daring. The titan had offered Heracles a ride to the islands of the Hesperides— one of which was the island he sought, Erytheia.

But as the journey continued, Heracles realized an oddity about the titan's kind gesture.

"Lord Helios… may I ask something?"

"Ask away!"

"Geryon… I heard rumors he is your grandson. You would allow me to slay him?"

Helios's expression became melancholic, and it almost seemed as if he had forgotten Heracles was there, "Well, I can understand the confusion… his father was my ward, after all."

"His father?"

"The orphaned son of the monster killed by your great-grandfather, Perseus— Medusa the Gorgon."

"He may not be your grandson, but if you raised his father, doesn't that mean you would've helped raise Geryon as well?"

"Alas, I did not. I did ask to raise him after his father and mother's untimely deaths… but my request was denied. Geryon was ferried off to the hills of Lydia. He was left in the care of the goddess Eileithyia and her husband Damasen, but…"

"But…?"

"Eileithyia, as Goddess of Childbirth, was far too busy to raise the boy. As for Damasen, he may have been a gentle giant, but he was not what you would consider an ideal role model. By the time Geryon was old enough to return to Erytheia, he was nothing like the kind boy his father was. Not to mention the curse of…"

Helios cleared his throat, "Apologies, I rambled off there. Pay my last few words no mind."

Heracles could sense that Helios was hiding something, but knew it would be unwise to pry, 'Helios can keep his secrets. Whether Geryon is cursed or not, my task remains the same.'

Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 5, Afternoon

"Well, Rider? Impressed by your first motorcycle ride?"

As Rin Tohsaka grinned at her Servant, Hippolyta nodded, "It's a remarkable invention… though I still prefer the feeling of being on horseback."

"Well, to each their own, I suppose. Now then, we've made it to Shizuoka Prefecture. Here's as good of a place to start scanning around as any."

"Yes, we should…"

Hippolyta's voice died in her mouth as her head whipped to the right. She normally wasn't a Servant who excelled at sensing presences, but this case was special.

"That presence… it's him."

"Rider, what's going on? Who do you sense?"

Hippolyta clenched her fist, "The man who killed me."

Rin's breath hitched, "Heracles…!"

From her experiences in the Fifth Holy Grail War, Rin Tohsaka knew the power of Heracles well. Summoned by Illyasviel Von Einzbern under the Berserker class, the Grecian demigod had nearly killed her and Shiro in the early days of the Grail War. Although he had ultimately been crushed by Gilgamesh, Rin still considered him to be amongst the Servants she never wanted to see again— ranked under only Gilgamesh and Medea.

Furthermore, there was a strong possibility that her Servant had a conceptual disadvantage against Heracles. Hippolyta had been killed during the demigod's Ninth Labor— it was unlikely she'd be able to overcome him as a Servant.

But Hippolyta had other thoughts, "Master… I am going to battle Heracles."

Rin looked at Rider in confusion. Did Hippolyta not realize the disadvantage she was at?

"I know what you are thinking— that there is no way I can outmatch the man who killed me. Even so, I wish to face him. Perhaps this feeling is vengeance, perhaps it is affection… but my heart is telling me to fight. If you cannot accept that, you'll need to use a Command Spell."

Rin shook her head, "No, I'll heed your wishes, Rider. I won't use a Command Spell… but I do have one order. Don't die."

Hippolyta gave Rin a wry smile, "As you wish, Master."

Calling forth her steed, the mighty horse Kalion, Hippolyta shot off towards the mountains. As her burgundy-haired Servant departed, Rin sighed as she remounted her motorcycle.

"She's not on the level of dear old Archer… but she's difficult in her own way, that Rider."

Akaishi Mountains, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 5, Afternoon

As he dodged another swath of arrows, Saber clicked his tongue in frustration.

'Dammit… will this be all my revenge amounts to? Fleeing endlessly from Archer's arrows?'

From the outset, Chrysaor had known the odds were stacked against him. In general, the Archer class was the one that the Saber class struggled against the most. Without the advantage of a skill like Protection From Arrows, he had only his Agility to protect him from being turned into a pincushion.

But still, the gap in power was remarkable. Saber knew this was in part due to the influence of notoriety. In the reconstructions of Greek Myth, Chrysaor's tale had been fragmented and misconstrued. His deeds had been forgotten, leaving him as no more than a small footnote in his mother's legend. Heracles, on the other hand, was the veritable poster child for ancient heroes. The conqueror of the Twelve Labors, the greatest of Zeus's mortal sons, and eventual God of Strength and Heroism. The other Heroic Spirits of Greece existed in his shadow— and Chrysaor was no different.

But Chrysaor refused to give up. Channeling his rage, Saber shot towards Archer. Taking advantage of a minuscule opening in Heracles's guard, Chrysaor swung his sword while sliding under the bowman's left arm. In an instant, Saber's poisoned blade found purchase in Heracles's flesh.

As the cursed blood coursed into his veins, Heracles stumbled.

"What…?"

Chrysaor smiled, "I know your legend, Heracles… killed by a shirt coated in centaur's blood. My gorgonic blood might not be the same mix, but it seems I was right— poison is disadvantageous to you."

"I see… so that is your strategy."

"You can call it dirty, but I know I could never slay you in a fair fight. With Kapros, I can level the playing field."

Heracles was quiet for a moment, before speaking. As he spoke, his body exuded an aura of intimidation that made even Chrysaor flinch, "Is that so?"

Looming tall, Archer locked eyes with Saber. His gaze was as firm as stone.

"Then try to strike me down, Chrysaor. Let's put that golden sword of yours to the test."

Endless Corridors, The Labyrinth
Day 5, Afternoon

"ROOOAAAH!"

Heaving the massive ax in its hands, the Doll of Asterios attempted to split its opponent in two, but Caster wouldn't fold that easily— her strings shot forward like bands of iron, holding back the minotaur's strike.

"It's pointless, shadow of Asterios… mazes and puzzles cannot defeat me."

A Caster of Ariadne's caliber would normally have little chance of victory against an opponent on the level of the Minotaur. Through her Labyrinth Advantage skill, however, Ariadne could overcome mazes and puzzles with ease. While the Doll of Asterios was a recreation of the Minotaur, it was also the product of the Labyrinth. Through her skill's ability to give her the tools necessary to overcome mazes, her parameters had temporarily surged to allow her to match the doll's power.

'Brother… I won't let the Labyrinth degrade you like this.'

Before encountering this copy of her half-brother, Ariadne had determined the nature of this recreation of the Labyrinth she knew. It wasn't merely a Noble Phantasm, but the legendary maze itself being twisted into the framework of a Servant. Based on that knowledge, she knew the minotaur before her wasn't her brother— it was a reflex of the maze, a self-defense mechanism in the form of its fabled prisoner.

'No matter how good the copy, I should still be able to surpass it with my skill. Now… which formation shall I use?'

As the minotaur prepared to charge, Caster made her decision.

'If it's going to charge, then my best option is…'

The boastful weaver, cursed for her pride.

"Heartstring Formation: Arachne."

Sending the products of her Noble Phantasm through the passageway, Ariadne quickly constructed a thick web of threads. She hadn't taken the opportunity to use any of her formations in her battle with Lancer, but in this situation and with her boosted abilities, she felt comfortable making use of them now.

Despite the beast's power and speed, the web caught the minotaur with ease, cutting into its flesh. Making use of its massive strength, the minotaur began tearing off the string bindings with ease. But Ariadne's intention had been to buy time from the beginning. Her next attack would benefit from careful construction. Forming into its next shape, the strands of Heartstring Knossos coalesced into twelve razor-sharp crescents.

The prince, chopped up and served to the gods.

"Heartstring Formation: Pelops."

The twelve woven blades hurtled toward the fake Asterios, threading together into a whirlwind of death. As the cyclone of slicing string struck flesh, even the phantasmal skin of the minotaur was swiftly carved up. With its body cleaved apart, the meaty chunks of Ariadne's opponent dropped to the floor. The eviscerated corpse quickly faded into black dust, leaving the passageway with no traces of the bloodbath that had just occurred.

Ariadne sighed, "That was easier than I expected. Labyrinth Advantage has been more useful than I would have ever anticipated."

'The Labyrinth has been summoned, but did the workshop come too?'

Having confirmed the Labyrinth's nature, Ariadne had a second question she wanted to answer— the status of Daedalus's workshop. While the Taurus Chamber was the true core of the Labyrinth, Ariadne believed that Daedalus's workshop most likely still existed alongside the maze. Even if it served a new Master, it shouldn't have been able to remove its creator's "signature" from it— a secret chamber that might hold a proper way to counter the Labyrinth.

'No single Servant could hope to destroy the Labyrinth. But if a shut-down or containment mechanism exists, it would be in the workshop.'

It was all conjecture and theory, of course. Ariadne had no guarantee that the workshop existed within this version of the maze, or that it held anything of value. But her magic thread was definitely reacting to something, and it didn't seem to be the maze itself.

'Even so, reaching it won't be easy. I doubt the Labyrinth will let me move through it as I please.'

"Groooahh…"

As if hearing Ariadne's thought, the haunting moan of a bull echoed through the hall. Turning around, she saw the black dust of the doll she killed begin to swirl. Not unlike the Sekhem that Apophis unleashed in Nagoya, the false minotaur began to reconstitute.

'It's like fighting that Lancer all over again— an undying opponent.'

As the rebuilt minotaur loomed, the Labyrinth made its next move. This invader was a threat capable of dispatching one of its dolls with ease. Further efforts would be necessary.

On each side of the minotaur, the walls of the hallway slid away. Looking just as monstrous as the original imitation, two more copies of Asterios pulled themselves into the dark passageway.

Caster's eyes widened, 'Maybe this isn't exactly like Lancer after all. This is a different kind of troublesome. However, I won't be bested by numbers alone.'

The threads of Heartstring Knossos responded to her thoughts, forming into six thick tentacles. The ends of each tentacle took the form of the head of a monstrous dog with serpent's fangs.

"From the depths of Oceanus… I invoke thy name."

The monstrous nymph, altered by witchcraft.

"Heartstring Formation: Scylla"

'No matter how many of these mockeries of my brother dare stand against me, I will overcome them.'

Caster chuckled in spite of the danger she was in. Perhaps this was one of those situations that Ibara's teacher spoke of. The times when one must "Go Beyond".

"Plus Ultra… it has a hopeful ring to it, I suppose. Now then, time to deal with you, puppets of Berserker!"

Todoroki Residence, Shizuoka
Day 5, Afternoon

Standing at the gate of the Todoroki residence, Hawks gave a friendly wave goodbye, "See you around, Endeavor."

Beside him, Caster bowed, "Yes, thank you for indulging our visitation, Sir Endeavor. I hope my advice will be of some use to you."

Endeavor nodded, "As do I. Thank you very much for your advice, Miss Caster. I apologize for my earlier comments on your appearance."

Caster laughed, "No, no, it's alright! This outfit of mine is unusual in this era, I'm sure!"

Hawks shrugged, "Well, not that unusual, considering Midnight and such. But anyway, I need to get going. Caster, go ahead and dematerialize. Head back to the apartment if you want."

Caster gave a small nod before vanishing, "Of course, my disciple!"

As Caster vanished, Hawks gave his fellow hero a quick salute as he took off into the air.

Endeavor grunted as he went back inside, his thoughts pensive, 'Hawks and Caster… they've left me with much to think about.'

The revelations they provided were staggering. The existence of a hidden conflict, a war of mankind and their heroes… it defied belief. Despite the outlandishness of his claims, Endeavor knew Hawks. He was not the sort of man who would bother playing along with such an over-the-top lie.

However, this matter of the Grail War was still secondary in the No.2 Hero's mind. What his thoughts and heart were truly focused on were the words Caster had provided to him.

"I often find that the first step to reconciliation is talking things out."

As strange as the woman was, her advice felt both sincere and genuine. Enji knew it was simple, and he had even thought of it himself before… but hearing it from someone else was meaningful.

'I've been incredibly blind… but I still want to make things right.'

Walking into his room, Enji opened the drawer of his desk, picking up a small photograph. It had been taken in front of the Todoroki home twenty-three years ago, back before their family had been torn apart.

Enji himself was on the left side of the photo, dressed in a sand green sweater and tan pants. To his right, holding a baby in her arms, was his wife Rei. Her hair was short, the photo having been taken before she grew it out, and she was dressed in a light yellow t-shirt and a long white skirt.

The baby in the photo was Enji's eldest son, Toya, only a few days old at the time. He'd kept the picture here as an eternal reminder of his failures, but he hadn't properly looked at it in a long time. Gazing at it now, his feelings of shame became almost too much to bear. This photo was meant to symbolize his intentions to become a better father and husband after Toya's death, but like everything else in his life, it had been pushed aside by his obsession over his legacy.

As he stared intently at the image of his wife, a single tear fell onto the photo, 'Can I ever rebuild things with Rei? After everything that I've done to her and to our children?'

Enji sighed and put the photo down, still uncertain about what to do. Returning to the living room, he decided to clear his head by cleaning up the dishes from Hawks' visit.

It had been a long time since he had helped in his own home like this, but there was something oddly therapeutic about it.

As he began washing them, he heard the sound of keys jangling in the doorway.

'Ah, right… Fuyumi's school was having a half-day today, weren't they?'

Walking through the door, dressed in her work attire, was Fuyumi Todoroki, Enji's only daughter. As she slipped off her shoes, she reacted with surprise to the sight of her father doing chores.

"Dad? You're doing the dishes?"

Enji nodded, "Yes… Hawks came by to speak to me."

"Wow, Hawks? I wish I'd have come back sooner. My students would have loved to hear that I met the No.3 Hero!"

Enji said nothing in response, and Fuyumi settled into the main room, pulling a stack of homework out of her bag.

As she started grading her students' assignments, Enji sighed heavily to himself. Putting down her red pen, Fuyumi looked curiously at her father.

"Is something wrong, Dad?"

Enji's expression was unusually soft, "Fuyumi… I'm going to call the hospital today."

"The hospital? You're going to call Mom?"

"Yes… I know it's strange. I will speak with you, Shoto, and Natsuo about all this in full tonight… but for now, just know that I had my eyes opened about how horrible a father I've been to you all. But before I talk to you all, I want to talk to her. To say I'm sorry."

Fuyumi was quiet for a long moment, "Dad, I…"

Shaking her head, Fuyumi smiled, "...I hope the call goes well."

Central Plaza, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

"Raaagh! Die, Eraserhead!"

Aizawa spoke calmly as he tossed the villain in front of him over his shoulder, "You're wide open. My students aren't even this green."

The thrown villain was like a bowling ball, knocking down a swath of villains from the crowd in the plaza.

Ignoring his downed allies, a larger villain with a rhinoceros head stomped towards Aizawa.

"Hmph... Merakis is a greenhorn, but I'm not. I'm sure even you've heard of me— the mighty Rush Rhino!"

Aizawa sighed, "Never heard of you."

"Graaah! Come at me!"

Nearby, Shigaraki and Berserker watched the battles, with Nomu standing behind them.

"Yep… these peons are useless. Giran's recruits are nothing but a bunch of 1-Stars."

Berserker nodded, "They're all boring, even the hero. This is a waste of my time. None of them are anything like that 'Symbol of Peace' I was promised."

"Then go and get unbored, Berserker. Hunt a Servant or whatever."

Cú Chulainn grinned at the idea, "Heh… not a bad suggestion. I'll hunt down one of the Sabers… or their Masters."

As Aizawa glanced over, he could tell there was something different about the three villains from the ones he was fighting. Yet before the Erasure Hero could act on that suspicion, Berserker pressed his feet into the ground. Launching himself with superhuman force, he vaulted upwards to the ceiling of the U.S.J. facility. Grabbing into a steel bar in the rafters and warping it with pure strength, he went about surveying the various zones.

Below, Aizawa looked up at Berserker in concern as the villain made his choice and swung towards one of the zones in the back of the facility.

'That villain… he was strong enough to get up there in a single leap. He might be the one they intend to match up against All Might. That level of physical strength is ridiculous.'

At the moment, Aizawa could do nothing to stop Berserker. Despite their weakness, the villains he was facing were numerous, and he was still only beginning to thin their ranks. Realizing this was a waste of his time, he set his focus on the two villains who stood apart from the crowd. There was the muscular birdman, but Aizawa's focus was on the hand-covered man. Despite his lanky appearance, it was clear that the villain clad in hands was the one in charge.

Leaping away from the crowd of grunts to face the two villains head-on, Aizawa locked eyes with Shigaraki. His voice was as cold as Todoroki's ice.

"So… you're the boss."

Main Entrance, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

Looking at their teacher, Ochaco Uraraka spoke worriedly, "Miss Thirteen, is there anything we can do to help? I'm worried about the others."

Thirteen shook her head as she gazed at Kurogiri's gaseous form, "That villain has a Warp Quirk… they've been scattered around the facility, I suspect."

Sero spoke up next, "Maybe we can beat him though?"

Kendo knew even as Sero spoke that the idea was pointless, 'If this guy was able to warp Saber and the others away without issue… I'm not sure my physical Quirks are going to be any good.'

Itsuka was well aware she didn't have the degree of power that All Might had with his Quirk. One For All had yet to grant the entirety of its stored power to Kendo, and she couldn't yet achieve the weather-altering feats of her mentor.

Kendo spoke up quietly, "It's not going to work, Sero. With his Warp Quirk, he'll just avoid our attacks."

Thirteen nodded, "Correct. Iida!"

The glasses-wearing boy stood at attention, "Yes, Miss Thirteen?"

"I need you to do something important. You need to run back to the school and report what's happened."

Iida was shaken by the suggestion but held in his protest as Thirteen continued.

"The alarms haven't sounded, and Kaminari's communication attempts didn't seem to be working. Given Aizawa's actions aren't opening up our communications, its probable that the villain who is behind the communications blockade is remaining well hidden. You're our best option, young man."

"But… I can't just abandon my classmates!"

As Rikido held Iida back, Kendo looked at Iida calmly, "Iida… please listen to Miss Thirteen."

"Kendo—"

Sato cut the bespectacled boy off, "She's right, Iida. Your speed is our best bet in this situation."

Sero chimed in as well, "So move your legs, speed past that mist man… and make it out!"

Thirteen nodded solemnly, "Please… use your Quirk and save us all."

Ochaco spoke confidently, "We'll back you up, Iida! Do your best!"

Iida gulped before nodding in agreement. Kurogiri, however, had remarks of his own.

"The hopelessness of your situation aside… what sort of fools discuss strategy in earshot of the enemy?"

Thirteen steeled her voice as she unleashed her Quirk, "It doesn't matter if you overheard… you can't stop us!

Kurogiri's voice had a thick air of belittlement as he responded, "Oh? Is that so?"

Thirteen's veins froze at the villain's tone, 'Something's not right… shit, his Quirk!'

The heroine's back erupted in pain as the gravitational power of her own Quirk was turned against her.

'He warped my power… the students…'

Thirteen collapsed in a heap, her consciousness fading as the remaining students cried out in fear.

Kurogiri laughed, "Thirteen, the disaster relief heroine. Understandably, you do not compare to heroes such as Eraserhead in battle."

Ochaco clutched the wounded Thirteen with tears in her eyes, "Miss Thirteen..!"

As Iida, Kendo, and others scrambled to reposition themselves, Kurogiri chuckled.

"Now then, children— how will you fare without your teacher to protect you?"

Landslide Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

It didn't take long for Shoto Todoroki to orient himself after falling out of the portal. Upon noticing the countless villains in the Landslide Zone, he quickly froze them into place.

One of them, a reptilian villain resembling a spinosaurus, growled in annoyance as he tried to break from his frigid restraints, "Tch! Scar-faced little shit!"

Unperturbed, the red-and-white-haired boy gave a curt reply.

"How pathetic. You all lost to a high schooler."

As the frozen villains growled, the chill in the air only intensified, as Shoto's glare became increasingly menacing.

"Come on, now. You're adults, aren't you? You should be better than this."

The reptilian villain yelled in response, "Aw, shut up you freezyhead—AGGGHH!"

Before he could finish speaking, the villain had suddenly been cleaved in twain. Instinctively reacting to the danger, Shoto leapt back to a safer distance as the new arrival made themselves known.

They were an imposing figure in silver and blue knight's armor, wielding a large greatsword. Their whole form seemed to be covered in a cloud of cold air, and their voice sounded powerful yet weary.

"Indeed, young man. We are adults, and it seems it falls to me to teach you your place in the world."

Shoto's instincts roared at him to be cautious, 'This guy… he's strong!'

Beside the bisected body of the dinosaur-like villain, a messy-haired villain yelled in anger and fear.

"You traitor! How dare you do that to Raijo—"

The man didn't have the chance to say anything more, as he too was cut down by the knightly villain.

As he watched the morbid scene, Shoto noticed something else interesting about this new enemy. Wherever he stood, the ice Shoto had created was being pushed away.

'A repulsion Quirk? But then wouldn't he be floating? Or does he have that degree of control?'

Shoto's analysis was interrupted as the armored villain spoke to him, "Now then, back to official matters. You, young man, are Shoto Todoroki, no? Son of Rei Himura?"

'He's bringing up Mom?'

Taking Shoto's silence as an affirmative, the man chuckled, "It would seem Kurogiri followed through… sending me to the location of our family's tainted scion."

Shoto, not wanting to indulge the villain's monologue, swung his hand forward to create another burst of ice. But before the massive ice wall could slam into the villain, it suddenly began diverting around him. Splitting and crumbling, the man was left unscathed, leaving his armored form surrounded by ice blocks and cold mist.

"The youth these days are so impertinent. Did your mother or father never teach you manners, young man?"

Shoto's eyes narrowed, 'If that didn't work, then maybe…'

Seeing Shoto's movements, the man raised a hand, "It's pointless, young man. Your ice will do no good against my Quirk."

"..."

"Heh… even if your mouth says nothing, your eyes convey your curiosity. Luckily for you, I am a generous man. My Quirk is called Frost Repel."

When Shoto again said nothing, the villain continued, "My power is to push away cold of all sorts… especially ice. But alas, this power had no place amongst our family."

"Our family? I don't even know you."

"Indeed not. But perhaps you will recognize this."

The man pressed a latch on his helmet, revealing his face to Shoto. He was an elderly man, but that wasn't what caught Shoto's attention. It was the man's eyes. They were the same charcoal gray as his mother's.

"My associates call me Airgetlám… but my real name is Ashuto Himura. I am your great-uncle."

As Shoto's expression shifted, Airgetlám chuckled.

"Truth be told, when Giran told me of this attack, I had no intention of accepting his offer. I had put up my sword decades ago. I'd already exacted revenge on the family head for disowning me. But then the attack in Nagoya occurred."

The man continued, unbothered, as Shoto tried to launch another wave of ice at him.

"Hah, you truly are lacking in manners. But as I was saying… Nagoya. You heard about it, I'm sure. The battle between your father and the Black Knight. Something about that battle ignited my fighting spirit, a desire to cull the Himura once again. You may be a reject unaware of his repute, but you are Himura nonetheless."

"Shut up."

"Hmmm…? What was that?"

"Shut up. I don't care if you're my great-uncle. You're a villain, and I'll freeze you where you stand."

Airgetlám laughed as his visor clicked back into place, "Then try it, young man. I do believe you'll have far more trouble than you anticipate!"

Ruins Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

In the Ruins Zone of the U.S.J., a burgundy-haired female villain yelled passionately, "Let's kill them with our love, my darling Redlyel!"

Her partner, a brown-haired male villain, responded in kind, "Indeed, my beautiful Deepslo—GAKK!"

Redlyel's passionate cry was cut off by an explosive blast from their opponent, Katsuki Bakugo.

Turning to the source, Deepslo cried out in fury, "You brat! How dare you do that to my husband!"

"Aw shut up, you flirty hag. You're both just extras!"

The villainess was then flung into a wall by a second explosion, ending the battle as quickly as it started.

On the other side of the room, Eijiro Kirishima shouted to his classmate. The red-haired boy looked a bit roughed up, but was mostly uninjured, "Bakugo! I've dealt with the villains over here!"

With a huff, Bakugo surveyed the various defeated villains, "They must have known we'd be teleported here… but they were still just a bunch of mooks."

Kirishima nodded, "This is good though. We need to hurry and help the others! We might have things under control, but I'm not sure about those who don't have offensive Quirks."

Bakugo was silent as Kirishima continued, "I'm still a bit surprised though… I'd have thought there'd be more of them."

Bakugo nodded in agreement as the two students started making their way down a damaged stairwell, "Yeah… something's off."

Kirishima glanced around cautiously, "Even so, we still need to go help our classmates."

Bakugo scoffed, "Do that if you want, shitty hair. I'm going after that warp guy."

"What? Man, don't be immature in a situation like this! Leave him to Miss Thirteen."

Bakugo looked sharply at Kirishima, "Think about it, idiot. He's a warper… Thirteen's gonna dig her own grave."

Kirishima paled in realization, "I… oh, no…."

Bakugo then continued, "Besides, that guy's how all these villains got here. Take him out, and they'll have nowhere to run! I'll beat him this time."

Reaching street level, the two headed out through the cracked glass door of the ruin. To their surprise, the street was littered with defeated villains.

Kirishima gulped, "Whoa…"

Bakugo narrowed his eyes, "Someone else got here first."

As they moved down the street, they eventually found the source of the defeated villains seated on a pile of three rock-skinned bruisers. It was the light-pink-haired samurai girl from the entranceway.

Musashi waved cheerfully to her new guests, "Ah howdy! So some of Kendo's classmates were sent here too?"

Kirishima blinked, "You're… that woman who appeared at the entrance. What did Kendo call you? Saber?"

"Mhm! That's me!"

"Are you her older sister or something? Are you even supposed to be here?"

Musashi shrugged, "Oh, don't sweat the details!"

As Kirishima remained unsure about Musashi, Bakugo simply scoffed, "Just stay out of the way, extra. Leave this to the real heroes."

Musashi gave Bakugo a wide, teasing grin, "But you aren't a Pro Hero yourself yet, yeah?"

"WHAT WAS THAT, YOU MAPLE BITCH?"

Kirishima tried to defuse the situation, "Let's just calm down, everyone… why don't we join forces? We're near the Landslide Zone, we could…"

Bakugo grunted, "We're going to the entrance, shitty hair. I'm gonna blast that mist guy, like I said already."

Musashi nodded in agreement, "The entrance is where my cute little Master is… so that sounds like a plan to me!"

Although he was slightly confused by Musashi's words, Kirishima nodded, 'I can't be disagreeing with my allies right now. In-fighting certainly isn't manly either.'

Bakugo stayed quiet, but he also wasn't voicing any dissent. With their pact made, the trio took off, heading towards another group of villains.

Vaulting up, Bakugo led their push forward with an ardent battlecry, "COMING THROUGH, YOU DAMN VILLAINS!"

Conflagration Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

Flinging acid in all directions, Mina Ashido yelled panickedly, "Get away! Get away!"

Unfortunately, the heat of the Conflagration Zone was disrupting her body's natural acid production. Against so many opponents, she was struggling to put up a fight.

The villains surrounding her chuckled at the sight of her futile efforts, their apparent ringleader stepping forward with a leering grin, "Aww, don't be like that, girlie. It's rather hot in this zone… so we're just gonna do you a favor and tear off that bodysuit of yours!"

"NO! Get away!"

As she closed her eyes in fear, she heard a "thwack" and the sound of grunting villains, "Huh?"

Opening her eyes, she breathed out a sigh of relief at the sight of her classmate, "Ojiro!"

The tail Quirk wielder weaved through the villains with surprising grace, using his martial arts to take them out before they could retaliate.

Swallowing her fear, Ashido ran forward to aid her classmate. Glaring at the villain who leered at her moments earlier, she formed as large a sphere of acid as she could manage, "Take this, you creep!"

The man screamed in pain as the bubble of acid struck him firmly in the chest. Following up with a firm kick to the villain's nether regions, Ashido stuck out her tongue in disgust as he crumpled to the floor.

Leaping over, Mashirao assessed his classmate's state, "Ashido! Thank god I got here in time!"

Mina nodded, "Mhm! Thanks… but are you ok? You look a little roughed up."

Ojiro smiled, "Thankfully, there were only a few villains stationed where I warped in. From the looks of things, they might have encountered someone else who was sent there before me."

Mina looked surprised, "Then they might need backup!"

"I agree. Either way, we need to get out of the zone, and the exit is the direction those villains had headed. Are you ready?"

"Yes! Let's go, Ojiro!"

Before the two could depart, however, a voice rang out from behind them.

"Oh, no need to come looking for me! I've defeated most of the brigands here already!"

Whirling around, the two locked eyes on a figure who was now suddenly behind them. He was a young man with red-streaked blonde hair, clad in white medieval armor.

Ojiro recognized the man, having seen him only a few minutes prior, "You… you're the man who appeared earlier. Right after that 'Saber' lady."

"Why yes, although that does make the situation a bit awkward. After all, my title is also Saber."

Mina blinked in confusion, "Huh?"

"Well, it would be against the rules to go into specifics. While I've already revealed things to my Master's parents… I mustn't go into details. I do apologize, but William and Mercadier would have my hide if I said too much."

Ojiro looked at the man cautiously, 'William? Mercadier? Those names aren't Japanese…'

Ashido, seeing his worried expression, patted her classmate on the back, "Aw, don't worry, Ojiro! That guy tried to protect us from the villain at the entrance— and he's handsome!"

Ojiro, although skeptical about Mina's secondary logic, did concede on the first point. The man had tried to help them against the warp villain, that much was undeniable.

'I'll trust this stranger for now… but I'll need to be careful. For both mine and Ashido's sakes.'

As the trio began walking through the area, Richard surveyed the area cautiously. As a result of his time as a king, he knew assassins could strike anywhere and everywhere.

"Mercadier, do you sense anything? I know you don't have Loxley's mastery of presence detection, but he wasn't summoned with me here."

o) « I'm afraid not, my king. You know I'm better suited to counterattacks. Scouting is not my forte, especially in my current class. »

"Yes, I suppose Avengers aren't particularly known for their tracking abilities. I don't suppose you've gotten a useful prophecy, Joachim?"

£) « Nay, your majesty. When the teacher of these students became aware of their communications issues, I noticed my premonitions had become foggy as well. I suspect there is magecraft at work that is disrupting my skills. »

The stern voice of Richard's third companion, William Marshal, spoke up in his mind.

[) « Richard, do you have any suspicions as to what sort of magecraft this could be? I know you are not a magus yourself, but… »

"Well, perhaps it's Runecraft? That Berserker down in the plaza did have Celtic markings on him…"

[) « Then he is the most likely source of the disruption of Joachim's abilities. Now, we should cease this conversation before the children beside you find you any crazier than they already do. »

"Hmmm, I suppose that would be a good idea!"

In Richard's head, William could only sigh in thinly veiled disappointment.

[) « You truly are, "Oc e Non", my liege… »

Mountain Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

Earlier that day, Kyoka Jiro's main thoughts about Momo Yaoyorozu had been mired in suspicion. Yet now, as they stood back-to-back against a crowd of villains, she was undeniably grateful to have Momo at her side.

Her classmate's Quirk was quite possibly one of the best things they could have in this situation. Not long after warping, the black-haired girl had created weapons for them both— a machete for Kyoka, and a naginata for Momo.

'This is useful stuff… being able to create nearly anything is a crazy ability.'

With Saber seemingly having been sent elsewhere in the facility, Kyoka would happily welcome Yaoyorozu's aid in their current predicament. Aside from maybe Todoroki's, there wasn't a single other Quirk she would rather have the aid of right now.

Yaoyorozu, meanwhile, was taking deep breaths. She tried her best to steel herself against the sight of the encroaching mob, Momo did her best to steel herself. She still hadn't fully mentally recovered from Kilter's attack on her family home, but her survival instincts were giving her strength.

'I don't want to die— I need to fight!'

But unknown to either girl, both of them were wondering a similar thing.

'Should I use a Command Spell?'

Both had been told by their Servants about the powers of the red sigils on their hands. This situation was an emergency, and an empowered Heroic Spirit might give them the edge they needed. But both were cautious. Unlike their ousted classmate Kendo, neither Momo nor Kyoka had definitively shown themselves to be a Master. If they summoned their Servant now, even if the other one of them was not a Master, it still could breed unnecessary complications in their respective futures.

Fending off a villain with her machete, Kyoka considered her options, 'If I do nothing, and leave Saber wherever he is… Yaoyorozu and I might die here.'

Seeing a villain swinging a boulder at her, Kyoka jumped, pointing her boot in the boulder's direction. With a concentrated sonic blast, she shattered the boulder just outside of her range.

"Yaoyorozu! We need more firepower!"

"I know! I'm working on it— complex weaponry takes time!"

"Alright then— time it is!"

Plugging her jacks into her boots, Kyoka amplified her heartbeat dozens of times over.

The sonic blast was deafening, and the villains in front of Kyoka held their ears in pain.

"Sorry, Yaoyorozu— that's all the time I can buy!"

Momo shook her head as she swung her naginata in a wide arc to fend off the encroaching villains.

"No worries. It was more than enough!"

From Momo's skin emerged a string of matryoshka dolls attached to a bandolier, which she began throwing at the villains. A villain with cables on his arm sighed in disappointment as he caught one of the dolls.

"Listen girlie, I don't know what your ploy with this was, but…"

The villain then froze, as he heard the sound of faint ticking, before setting his eyes on the bandolier in realization, "Wait…! Don't tell me this is…!"

The dolls then exploded, unleashing a sticky foam that trapped the villains in place.

Kyoka looked at Yaoyorozu in awe, "That was… amazing."

"It's an invention I saw at an I-Island Expo two years ago— Elephant Toothpaste Grenades."

Turning to Kyoka, Momo spoke quickly, "It won't hold them long. We should take this chance to regroup with the others."

Kyoka nodded, "Running away is kinda lame… but you're right that regrouping is the best move. Let's go."

Making their way across the Mountain Zone's rope bridge, the two girls made their way towards the exit of the Zone. Even as they heard the sound of the villains freeing themselves behind them, they focused on escape.

Kyoka gulped as she heard their angry yells, 'Don't waste time looking back, Kyoka! Focus on escaping!'

But as they were about to leave, a new sound entered the mix, a loud crash. Despite her recent affirmation, Kyoka's curiosity got the better of her, and she turned her head to look. Hearing Kyoka gasp in shock, Momo also turned around.

On the other side of the bridge, a hooded man had landed in the middle of the crowd of villains. His arrival produced a large crater, and even knocked a few of the villains to the ground. Most striking, however, was the man's crimson spear. The sanguine armament had already tasted blood, piercing the heart of a burly, helmet-wearing villain.

Several villains screamed in shock and indignation before the new arrival whirled his spear in a violent, blood-tinged arc— carving out the throats of everyone around him.

The villains' lifeless bodies crumpled to the ground like puppets released from their strings. One of the few survivors, the same cable-handed villain who was caught by Momo's trap, questioned the man shakily, "Hey m-man, what the h-heck? A-aren't we on your s-side?"

The man received no answer, becoming the next offering to Berserker's gluttonous spear, "I am no ally of weaklings."

They needed to run. Momo knew that. But at that moment, she was paralyzed by fear. This man wasn't like the mercenary who killed her parents… this villain was a genuine monster. Her courage had utterly abandoned her.

"Y-Yaoyorozu… we n-need to run."

Momo looked at her classmate, who looked equally shaken, and managed to find the strength to keep moving, "R-right!"

Running for the exit path, the two girls could only pray they would escape in time.

A vain hope.

Landing in another crater-producing leap, Second Berserker bounded across the chasm, crushing the girl's prayers of escape in an instant.

"Not so fast."

Kyoka yelped at the sight of the terrifying man, who gave them a bloodthirsty grin, "You have courage… but cowardice still defines you. I thought Masters of the Holy Grail War would have more spine."

It was only fear that kept the two girls from looking at each other in surprise.

Kyoka, sensing the villain— no, Servant was waiting for them to speak, steeled her voice as best she could, "W-what do you want with us? Shouldn't you be going after a Servant?"

Berserker shrugged, "I considered going after that second Saber, girl… but I'm here for bigger prey. All Might will die by my hands… and I can hunt some Masters in the process. I am the cú… and you are mere sheep."

The Servant of Madness held out his hand, calling his red spear back into his hand.

"So run all you like, little lambs… and call your Servants if you must. I will hunt you down."

Momo Yaoyorozu spoke up, her voice shaky, "W-We aren't giving up!"

Berserker tilted his head, "Hmmm?"

Kyoka barely had time to see the flashbang before Momo put her hand over her eyes. Grabbing her classmate's hand, Momo pulled the girl away. She knew that if that man really was a Servant, a flashbang wouldn't delay him in any substantial manner. But all she needed was a second. Making up her mind, Momo raised her arm skyward.

As Berserker leapt toward them, spear poised to kill, the fledgling hero spoke firmly.

"Rider! By the power of my Command Spell— PROTECT US!"

Temporary Housing Unit, U.A. High School
Day 5, Afternoon

"Ahh… that was a nice shower."

Drying off his hair, the Heroic Spirit Astolfo threw on a white blouse and black skirt that he'd "borrowed" from Momo's closet.

"Huh, I could go for a drink right about now. Maybe some of that orange juice in the fridge?

Walking out of the bathrooms while whistling, the Rider-class Servant had completely forgotten a vital fact.

He and Momo no longer lived here alone.

Entering the kitchen, Astolfo locked eyes with the home's other present resident— Inko Midoriya.

"You— you're that vigilante! F-From Nagoya!"

Even Astolfo, dense as he was, could realize that he'd messed up big-time. Momo had asked him to remain secret and here he was walking into the view of a new resident.

"Oh, well… you see… um…"

As Astolfo unsuccessfully attempted to think of a way to salvage this for Momo's sake, he was interrupted by the voice of his Master echoing in his head, her command pulling him away.

"Rider! By the power of my Command Spell— PROTECT US!"

While yellow and red lights danced around Astolfo, the foolish paladin gave Inko an apologetic grin, "Sorry, Miss! My Master's calling, so I gotta go!"

As he began to vanish, Inko watched Astolfo's outfit shift, his shirt and skirt being replaced by knightly armor. The next moment, giving a final wave, Astolfo disappeared in a flash of reddish light.

Recovering from her shock, Inko pulled her phone out of her pocket. Selecting a number in her emergency contacts, Inko then brought the device up to her ear. After several seconds of beeping, the voice of Midnight came through the line.

"Hello, Mrs. Midoriya! I'm in the middle of a class, but what's up?"

Inko spoke softly with a slight undertone of fear, "H-Hello, Miss Kayama… I'm calling to report about an intrusion in the Housing Unit…"

Mountain Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

The moment after Momo Yaoyorozu used her Command Spell, a flash of red light filled the Mountain Zone. While still blinded, both Momo and Kyoka felt themselves being grabbed by an unknown individual, spirited away just as Second Berserker's spear struck the spot that Kyoka had been seconds before.

Now, having been set down several feet away, the two girls were protected by Momo's Servant, False Rider. The Paladin of Charlemagne stood protectively in front of his Master and her friend, ready to face off against the Servant who threatened them.

Kyoka, meanwhile, had turned to confront Momo, "Yaoyorozu… you're a Master after all. I had my suspicions, but…"

Momo nodded, realizing that Kyoka must also be a Master, "The Command Spells were intended for my parents. But I received the Spells instead, and Rider arrived just in time to save me…"

Kyoka nodded, "I'd regale you with my own story… but it's not the time for that. We've got bigger problems."

Her gaze was firmly settled on Second Berserker, who stared at Astolfo intimidatingly.

Sensing the danger that Berserker possessed, Astolfo had not hesitated to call forth Argalia's lance. Yet at the sight of the weapon, Berserker scoffed.

"So this is the Heroic Spirit set against me? A foppish jouster?"

"I'm no mere jouster— I am a paladin! One of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, Astolfo, stands before you!"

Cú scratched his head as he looked at Rider in disdain, "I had hoped for a battle… but you're just a third-rate Heroic Spirit. I suppose I'll have to hope those Sabers are more worthy of my attention. Time for you to die, Rider— and then I'll kill that Master of yours."

"I won't allow that! I'll give you everything I've got!"

Knowing that going all-out from the start was his best strategy, Astolfo called upon a second Noble Phantasm.

As Astolfo leapt up into the air, his steed materialized from out of thin air. Born of a mare that was impregnated by a griffin, this Phantasmal Beast was rescued from a witch by Astolfo's fellow Paladin, Bradamante. Although, like Argalia's Lance, it was not strictly Astolfo's Noble Phantasm, the Phantasmal Beast had once been lent to him in life. It had served the Paladin as a loyal steed, and a certain chronicle even claimed it had flown Astolfo to the Moon.

The Otherworldly Phantom Horse: Hippogriff

Crying in a challenging tone at its master's enemy, Hippogriff spread its wings defiantly before flying forward. The Phantasmal Beast moved at speeds even Berserker struggled to track, and he was flung into a rock face. Seeing this, Momo and Kyoka turned to each other and nodded. This was their chance to get out of here.

"Yaoyorozu! Where are we heading?"

Momo contemplated for a moment before gesturing down toward the Central Plaza, "Let's go to the plaza. Mr. Aizawa is going to need backup."

"Why don't we head to the entrance? Leave it to Todoroki? Or to Bakugo?"

"We can't just rely on our classmates. And Todoroki aside, Bakugo seems like the vengeful sort. He'll probably go after the villain at the entrance."

"True… alright, I'll follow your lead. Let's move."

Momo nodded, turning back briefly to look at Rider. Berserker had gotten back up and was flinging himself at Astolfo and Hippogriff.

'Please win, Rider!'

At the site of the battle, Berserker scoffed at the sight of Jiro and Yaoyorozu fleeing, "How pathetic."

Astolfo grinned, "Cowardice isn't pathetic… a true warrior knows when to retreat."

"Then you must be a fool then, to be blind to your own weakness."

"I won't deny I'm a fool… but Griffy here did fling you into a rock just now!"

Berserker twirled his spear, "Then die, and be impaled on my spear."

"Well then, Lancer, Berserker, Avenger, or whatever you are… bring it on!"

The battle in the Mountain Zone had begun. This wouldn't be like the battle against Caligorant or Jester Karture. This was a clash against an even more dangerous foe. Astolfo the Paladin was facing his greatest opponent yet— the Grail-maddened Hound of Ulster.

Ancient Heart, Spiritual Tomb of Albion
Present Day

Shiro Emiya's first impressions of Morgan Le Fay were quite different than he expected them to be. From the fragmented dreams he had received during the Fifth Holy Grail War, he had expected a scheming and jealous woman like he had seen in Artoria's memory. Yet now, having met Morgan properly, she was seeming to be rather agreeable.

Right now, however, Shiro had more pressing matters to think about than Morgan's personality.

"So, Ruler… can you tell me why Zelretch had us come here? You mentioned a few minutes ago that we'd already linked up, so why did I come all this way just to travel to the other world?

"Tell me, Master… what do you know about the nature of Servants?"

"They are familiars, right? Summoned from the Throne of Heroes during a Holy Grail War?"

"Correct. But there is more to it all. In truth, a genuine and complete hero cannot be summoned from the Throne by any sort of Magecraft. Not even the likes of the True Magicians— including Zelretch or the late Yumina— would be able to call a complete hero forth. I am not even sure that the Third Magic could realize one. With such a barrier, a different approach is necessary— a narrower perspective. Instead of representing a complete image, Servants we know are fractional emanations, linear ghosts that are a mere portion of a far more complex and multi-faceted existence."

"A ghost of a linear existence… a Ghost Liner. Rin used that term to describe Servants once."

"Indeed. Ghost Liner is another way of referring to them, although there are a few small distinctions. However, I have transposed myself into an even more intriguing existence. By summoning a portion of my legend into myself, I have become a palimpsest of sorts known as a Pseudo-Servant. One who is both Servant and living being."

"I still don't understand though— what does your being a Pseudo-Servant have to do with coming here?"

"The problem lies with the Servant side of the equation. As Ghost Liners, Servants are ephemeral existences held together by the Grail systems and their Master's mana. Under the stresses that occur from crossing dimensions, my Saint Graph— my core— would not survive. I would be deconstructed into particulate information, scattered into the in-betweens of the multiverse."

"So then how…"

Morgan interrupted, "That brings me to why we are here, Master. As an existence that is both fae and human, proximity to the Reverse Side of the World will strengthen me and help me potentially survive the passage. Yet you, as a human, could not survive in the Reverse Side. There is only one place in the world where both the traits of Earth and the Reverse Side can be maintained… here, at the heart of Albion's Tomb. Only here can I utilize Mystery to safely pass between the worlds while also ensuring you will be there to further support me.

"I see…"

Shiro didn't fully understand Morgan's explanation, but he set that aside for a more pertinent question.

"Speaking of passing between worlds, won't we need Zelretch here? Rin and the priest both needed his Second Magic to pass through."

Morgan nodded, "Well Zelretch was originally going to join us… but our plans have changed somewhat. Instead, we'll be adopting Jester Karture's method of forcing our way into the other world."

Shiro looked disgruntled, anger rising in him, "Zelretch said Jester needed a Lesser Grail— killing Sakura— to pass between worlds. And you want to copy his methods? I won't abide by that."

Morgan coughed politely, "I suppose I should have been more clear. While we are using the same process as him, we will not be using a Lesser Grail as our energy source. Instead, we will funnel the vast magic of Albion's heart into a catalyst of Kaleidoscope, forcing open a gateway."

Calming down, Shiro glanced at a small drawstring bag on his back, "A catalyst… so that's what this was about."

Rolling the bag off his back, Shiro opened it to reveal a small wrapped object.

Just before he had entered the Spiritual Tomb of Albion, Zelretch had given Shiro the bag, refusing to tell him what was inside. The Wizard Marshal had only said that it was important and that Shiro must not lose it on his way down. There had been a few close calls near the end of his descent, but Shiro had managed to bring Zelretch's gift all the way here safely as asked— and finally, he would learn exactly what the bag had contained.

Handing the package to Morgan, Shiro watched as the Black Witch unwrapped the object within. As he did so, his focus once again fell on Morgan's face. He was still surprised at just how similar she and Saber looked. If Taiga were here, she might have called Morgan a "Saber-face" or something like that. Unlike Artoria's proud regality, Morgan reminded Shiro of a widowed queen he had seen in a movie once, with a somber yet elegant aura.

Glancing up, Morgan chuckled as she finished unwrapping the object, "It's rude to stare, Master."

Shiro's face flushed slightly as he shifted his gaze downwards to the object in Morgan's arms. It was a star-headed wand with a green hilt.

The young man's expression rapidly shifted from sheepish to confused, "It's… a magical girl wand?"

Morgan sighed in response, "That Wizard Marshal… he never changes, even after centuries. His aesthetic tastes remain as atrocious as ever."

She tossed away the small note with the Mystic Code, where Zelretch explained it was his third and final Kaleidostick— one he'd originally planned to keep for himself. According to the Wizard Marshal, it was called "Kaleidostick Emerald".

Shiro muttered, "Emerald… the green-haired boy?"

Near the end of their time in Monaco, Zelretch had mentioned something odd to Rin and Shiro— to "look out for the green-haired boy". Shiro wasn't sure what he meant then, and still wasn't sure now, but the color of the Kaleidostick had reminded him of that odd comment.

Morgan glanced over due to Shiro muttering, "Is something the matter, Master?"

Shiro shook his head, "It's nothing. Let's get started."

Morgan nodded and placed the Kaleidostick in the middle of the room. She then spent the next several minutes conjuring various staves, placing them in a geometric pattern around the Kaleidostick.

Seeing Shiro's curious gaze, Morgan narrated her actions, "While Jester Karture brute-forced his way into the other world, we will need to be a tad more delicate. We need to ensure my safe travel and cannot afford to set off every single magical safeguard in the Dragon's Heart. Now, Master— stand here."

After Shiro moved into place, Morgan took up the spot across from him, pulling out a small golden dagger as she did so. It was the second in a series of soul-manipulating armaments that Morgan had crafted, a successor to the dagger she had left in the care of the Blackmore Cemetery. Focusing a small amount of energy into the golden dagger, the Noble Phantasm liquified into molten gold. With another small push of magic, the liquid metal reformed into a golden lasso that now linked Morgan and Shiro's wrists.

"This will keep us together through our transport. Its soul-manipulation ability will also help stabilize my own passage."

Shiro looked at her, impressed, 'She's taking every precaution… although it only makes sense. Her very existence is on the line here.'

"So with all of this, we'll both pass through safely?"

Morgan laughed, "If all goes well. There's still a chance I don't survive the passage— but with all these countermeasures prepared, it's at least a slim one."

Shiro was quiet for a long time before nodding, "Alright."

Placing a final stave in front of herself, Morgan began funneling the vast magic of Albion into the Kaleidostick. Just as the Lesser Grails of Sakura and Fillia had done to Ruby and Sapphire, the overwhelming energies caused Kaleidostick Emerald to start cracking and splintering.

"Prepare yourself, Master! We are about to go through!"

Morgan knew investigators from Magisfair and the Carillon Observatory would arrive in mere minutes to see what was setting off the Bounded Fields. However, it wouldn't matter— they'd be too late to interfere with her and Shiro's exit. Morgan had been careful to account for any defensive enchantments that would have actually interfered with their departure.

Once the energy flowing through Kaleidostick Emerald grew too great, the mystic code at last was completely broken. As it shattered, a burst of draconic and dimensional magic was unleashed upon the save. Compelled by the waves of magical force, the fabric of space opened as rainbow-colored light enveloped the chamber, swallowing up Morgan and Shiro.

Compelled by Morgan's ritual, the Second Magic was enacted. Through the power of True Magic, the Pseudo-Servant and her Master had begun their passage to a world beyond the boundaries of normality.

A world of Quirks.

To be continued in Chapter 20: Holding Out For A Hero

A/N: I don't plan on making Omakes a regular thing, but I may include more when the inspiration strikes. Please enjoy!

Omake:
The Musashi Who Fell Through The Worlds, Part 1

Clouds of Ginnungagap
Just After Musashi's Teleportation By Kurogiri…

After being teleported by Kurogiri in the middle of an attack, Musashi had expected to find herself somewhere in the Unforeseen Simulation Joint.

Instead, it seemed the rift torn open by her slashes had transported her somewhere outside the bounds of the universe. The space around her was decorated by clouds of stardust and energy. The nebulas of the in-between pulsed with indescribable colors, punctuated by a low hum that echoed consistently through the void.

As she spiraled through the immaterial space, Musashi saw a flash of purple light in her path, before she slammed into an unknown object. Recomposing herself, Musashi inspected the object. It was the severed torso of some sort of blue-armored biomechanical being, vaguely feminine in form. The being wore a blue mask over her face, and in one of her hands was a barbed broadsword. Clutched in the biomechanoid's other hand though, was something that particularly caught Musashi's eye. It was a brutish-looking golden mask.

Musashi nabbed the mask from the corpse to get a closer look. To her surprise, she could sense it was supercharged with dimensional energies.

'Wowza… what sort of world could make something like this?'

However, a quick attempt at wearing it proved she was incompatible with the mask itself. With no way to properly activate its power, Musashi decided to try a more forceful method.

Drawing one of her blades, she stabbed the side of the mask, causing dimensional energy to spill out, forming an unstable rift.

Gazing through the portal, Musashi saw what looked like wooden floorboards and a chair.

'Hmmm… doesn't seem like the sorta thing I'd find in that facility I came from, but it's worth a shot I guess!'

Glancing one last time at the corpse of the blue biomechanoid, Musashi angled herself to fall into the rift she had created. With a laugh and a smile, Musashi crossed through the portal— wherever it might lead.

A Certain Cafe…
Some other place, some other time…

In a small cafe, a purple-haired man in a light purple hakama sat at the counter. He was struggling to hold in his tears, "Sniff— a-and that's when she struck my truck! In her tank! Knocked my bro right off the road…"

On the bartender's side of the counter, the cafe's sunglasses-wearing owner spoke apologetically, "Well, when this "bro" of yours… died, were you not freed from your vigil over the city temple? Is that not a good thing, Mr. Sasaki?"

To the owner's right, a chibi cat-human nodded excitedly.

"Un-un-un!"

Sasaki put his head in his hands, weeping, "Oh, Master George, Miss Bubbles… I am glad to be free from Caster's whims, indeed. But my existence is now empty, for I no longer have my bro by my side!"

George sighed as he filled a glass with some coffee, "Well, you can't change the results of the Seihai Grand Prix, friend. So take this coffee. On the house."

To George's left, another cat-like being screeched in surprise, "Wha— owner? You're just giving it to him for free?"

George shushed the Neco Spirit, "Neco-Arc, I won't overlook a customer in need. Besides… we still have gemstones from Saber's last shift."

Neco-Arc made a contemplative look, "True, that King of Heroes sure is generous. Buranyuu~"

"Yes, yes. But regardless, Mr. Sasaki… you must move forward. Your… "bro"… may be gone, but you are still here. And you may live on for its… erm, "his" sake."

"I suppose…"

Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of a rift in space. Neco-Arc stared at the rift in shock.

"No! It's not time for the next Carnival yet! I didn't get the phone call!"

In the corner of the cafe, Neco-Arc Chaos chuckled, "A spatial gate… how umbral, indeed."

Across from him, Neco-Arc Destiny swirled her drink, "Truly… life is a most mysterious thing."

Sasaki looked up at the portal as well, squinting, "Hmmm?"

Dropping into the bar seat next to him was an oddly familiar woman. For some reason, she reminded him a lot of a swordsman he had fought once.

The woman turned and looked around the bar, "No, this doesn't seem right— oh, hey, Sasaki! Sorry, I won't be joining up with the Carnival anytime soon. Grand or otherwise!"

George looked at the woman, "Ah, Miss Musashi. I haven't seen you here at Ahnenerbe in a while."

Kojiro almost spat out his drink in surprise, 'Musashi?!'

"Hiya, George! Give me the regular!"

George raised an eyebrow, "Do you not have somewhere you need to go?"

Musashi paused, "Ah, shucks! What am I thinking? I almost forgot that I need to get back to Kendo! Welp, time to try this again!"

Pulling out the golden mask, Musashi prepared to stab another hole. But Kojiro intervened, setting his confusion about Musashi's gender aside.

"Wait— allow me. I'll channel the dimensional energy into my Tsubame Gaeshi."

Destiny laughed, "Do perform well for us, Sasaki!"

Neco-Arc Bubbles nodded in agreement.

"Un-un-un!"

Neco-Arc provided a comment of her own, "Don't hit any of the furniture! We need that!"

Sasaki nodded, before running his blade against the Mask, "Bro… give me strength."

…This is where I shall be victorious.

Infused with the power of dimensional gates, Sasaki swung his sword, aiming to catch a non-existent swallow.

Secret Technique… Tsubame Gaeshi!

Musashi grinned at the sight, 'Sorry Iori! Not even yours matches up to the original, now that I'm seeing it again!'

The energies of the multi-dimensioned attack coalesced into a thick spatial gate. As Musashi moved to leave, George looked carefully at the mask in her hand. He recognized it from when a golden-armored biomechanoid visited Ahnenerbe wearing an identical mask.

"Musashi… be careful. From what I've been told about masks like those— they don't take too well to being damaged. You might have trouble getting back… and only have a few more shots to do so."

Musashi shrugged and walked through, "Eh, what's life without a little gambling?"

Chaos exhaled as the portal closed behind Musashi, the smoke of his cigarette wafting through the air, "Indeed. Now go, wanderer of worlds… back to your nightmarish future."